Advancing our knowledge of two iconic freshwater mega-fishes in and around Algonquin Park to inform management and conservation

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While hydropower is often viewed as a "green" alternative energy source, hydropower facilities can often have a negative impact on freshwater ecosystems. Among their impacts, hydropower facilities can alter the natural flow regime of river systems and, by extension, disrupt the life cycles of fishes. Predicting the potential impacts of a hydropower project on fishes first requires a baseline understanding of the populations and behaviour of target species. Such knowledge is critical to effectively managing species as well as mitigating risks of potential hydropower projects. The Petawawa River in eastern Ontario is one of the few free-flowing rivers (i.e., no dams present) in the region and a major tributary of the Ottawa River, itself a waterbody with numerous hydropower facilities. The goal of this partnership is to generate actionable data on the populations and behaviours of two iconic freshwater mega-fishes - muskellunge and lake sturgeon - so that they can be protected in the face of future development pressures. Moreover, this study will represent reference data to understand how existing facilities may be impacting fish populations. This project will address specific knowledge gaps related to our understanding of 1) muskellunge genetic connectivity within the Petawawa River; 2) muskellunge and lake sturgeon distribution and seasonal movements within the Petawawa; and 3) the potential of Lake Travers as a source population for downstream areas. Our partnership is with the Canadian Wildlife Federation which is a science-based NGO and with a collaborator from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Our academic team has a long track record of knowledge co-production with diverse partners. The results of this research will have broad applicability because data on the population structuring and movement patterns of these two fish species in the free-flowing Petawawa can be used to inform management of hydropower facilities within the broader Ottawa River watershed and beyond. This is relevant, because it is unclear how these facilities are currently affecting these populations, and new avoidance, mitigation, and offsetting strategies may be developed based on the results of this work.